Ag Tech Investments News

Understanding how technology can be practicably applied to their farming operations is valuable knowledge for growers living in a digital age.

A number of growers recently took part in one-day workshop at Merredin. The workshop was focusing on the use of on-farm technologies and particularly those relating to soil water measurement and analysis.

On March 22 ‘Soil Moisture Probes, Yield and Soil Water Apps – can these deliver value to your business?’ was presented by the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) Regional Cropping Solutions Network initiative, Royalties for Regions and the Department of Agriculture and Food (DAFWA). DAFWA development officer and event organiser Caroline Peek said, “The aim of the event was to provide informative, practical experiences from those who use this technology.”

David Stead, of Anasazi Agronomy, Mingenew grower Darrin Lee, Frank D’Emden, of Precision Agronomics Australia, Daryl Gifford, of iPaddock, Jeremy Lemon, of DAFWA, Yvette Oliver, of CSIRO, and Tim Maling, of DAFWA are the speakers of the workshop.

They addressed topics likes the expectations for tools and technologies in 2016; how the digital age can deliver to your farm; the value of soil moisture probes to the farm business; and local soil moisture probes and 2015 results.

Specifically, a number of on-farm technologies and projects were discussed, including the iPaddockYield app, SoilwaterApp, soil moisture probes and other tools, and the eConnected Grainbelt Project.

At a research update event hosted by the Far East Agricultural Research (FEAR) group, a condensed version of the workshop’s program was also presented on March 23.